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Energising European Football

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Creating a United Europe of Football

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Abstract

In Europe, these moves coincided with a reduction in tension between the East and West, a period historians refer to as the ‘Thaw’, which allowed football associations from both sides of the Iron Curtain to form a Europe-wide group of football associations. The new body came into being in June 1954 and was named UEFA in October of the same year. Quickly it appeared that UEFA would be responsible for fostering European exchanges in football.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Statutes of the FIFA [1954]. FIFAA, statutes (1904–1981).

  2. 2.

    Minutes of the Belgian FA executive committee, 3 April 1954. SAB, URBSFA, executive committee (1953–1954).

  3. 3.

    Minutes of the European associations meeting, 12 April 1954. German National Archives (thereafter GNA), DY 12 Deutscher Turn und Sportbund (DTSB), folder: 2.081 Zusammenarbeit mit der FIFA, nos. 169–171. Contrary to what Ernst Thommen said during the 1953 FIFA extraordinary congress, Delaunay does not appear to have contacted the North African and the Middle Eastern associations.

  4. 4.

    Letter from K. Gassmann to H. Delaunay, 19 March 1954. FIFAA, correspondence with France (1937–1954).

  5. 5.

    In alphabetical order: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Czechoslovakia, England, Finland, France, East Germany, West Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Saarland, Spain, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

  6. 6.

    In alphabetical order: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Iceland, Northern Ireland, Poland, Romania, Soviet Union and Wales.

  7. 7.

    Letter from E. Thommen to J. Rimet, 25 April 1954. FIFAA, correspondence of Jules Rimet (1945–1950).

  8. 8.

    Minutes of the European associations meeting, 12 April 1954. GNA, DY 12 DTSB, 2.081 Zusammenarbeit mit der FIFA, nos. 169–171.

  9. 9.

    Letter from H. Delaunay to the secretary general of the East German FA, 20 April 1954. GNA, DY 12 2.081 Zusammenarbeit mit der FIFA, nos. 182–183.

  10. 10.

    ‘Groupe des associations européennes de football. Analyse des réponses au questionnaire relatif à la forme constitutionnelle du groupe’. GNA, DY 12 DTSB, 2.081 Zusammenarbeit mit der FIFA, no. 176.

  11. 11.

    Minutes of the Belgian FA executive committee, 29 May 1954. SAB, URBSFA, executive committee (1953–1955).

  12. 12.

    Freely translated from the French. ‘Entente européenne de football, projet de règlement’. GNA, DY 12, DTSB, 2.081 Zusammenarbeit mit der FIFA, nos. 173–175.

  13. 13.

    Minutes of the FIFA executive committee, 12–13 June 1954. FIFAA, executive committee (1953–1954).

  14. 14.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the Belgian FA executive committee, 29 May 1954. SAB, URBSFA, executive committee (1953–1954).

  15. 15.

    In alphabetical order: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, East Germany, West Germany, England, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Saarland, Scotland, the Soviet Union, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Yugoslavia.

  16. 16.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the Belgian FA executive committee, 2 July 1954. SAB, URBSFA, executive committee (1953–1954).

  17. 17.

    Minutes of the FIFA congress, 21 June 1954. FIFAA, congress (1953–1959).

  18. 18.

    Minutes of the European body congress, 22 June 1954. Archives of the Union of European Football Associations (thereafter UEFAA), RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  19. 19.

    Letter from H. Delaunay to the secretary general of the East German FA, 19 July 1954. GNA, DY 12 DTSB, 2.085 Zusammenarbeit mit der UEFA, no. 489.

  20. 20.

    However, not all European football leaders and journalists took care to use the organisation’s correct name, and sometimes referred to it as the ‘European Football Union’.

  21. 21.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the European body executive committee, 29–30 October 1954. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  22. 22.

    Statutes of the FIFA [1954], art. 30. FIFAA, statutes (1904–1981).

  23. 23.

    For a European perspective on this topic, see Breuil (2018).

  24. 24.

    Minutes of the UEFA emergency committee, 6–7 May 1955. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  25. 25.

    ‘À pied d’œuvre depuis la veille les ‘Continentaux’ s’entraînent sous la direction de Pierre Pibarot’, L’Équipe, 12 August 1955.

  26. 26.

    Pour cause de maladie. ‘Henri Delaunay n’est plus…’, L’Équipe, 10 November 1955.

  27. 27.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 8 June 1956. UEFAA, RM00005984 (UEFA congress, 1954–1959).

  28. 28.

    Freely translated from the French. Interview with Pierre Delaunay, conducted on 18 September 2012 in Versailles.

  29. 29.

    UEFA secretary general report (1958–1959). UEFAA, RM00000917 (secretary general report, 1954–1985), 1.

  30. 30.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 8 October 1958. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  31. 31.

    Minutes of the UEFA congress, 4 June 1958. UEFAA, RM00005986 (founding congress, 1954–ordinary congress, 1955–1957).

  32. 32.

    Translation of a letter from de E. Schwartz to European associations. UEFAA, RM00005987 (congress, 1958–extraordinary congress, 1959).

  33. 33.

    At this time, Switzerland was closer to the Western camp, as the country’s political and economic elite were anti-communist (Bott et al. 2015). However, it was easier for countries from both the Eastern and Western blocs to obtain visas for Switzerland than for other countries.

  34. 34.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 7–8 November 1957. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  35. 35.

    Interview with Pierre Delaunay conducted on 18 September 2012 in Versailles.

  36. 36.

    Freely translated from the French. Interview with Jacques Ferran conducted on 19 September 2012 in Paris.

  37. 37.

    Interview with Hans Bangerter conducted on 1 October in Bolligen.

  38. 38.

    FIFA was approached but refused to host UEFA’s headquarters. Minutes of the FIFA executive committee, 24 April 1959. FIFAA, executive committee (1959).

  39. 39.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 30 October 1959. Scanned document provided by UEFA’s archivist, Nicolas Bouchet.

  40. 40.

    ‘Incroyable mais vrai. La France n’a pas voté pour la France!’, L’Équipe, 15 December 1959.

  41. 41.

    The speech was found in the German national archives. It is noteworthy that there was a photo of Gerö in the Austrian FA’s meeting room, where the congress was held. ‘Ils n’ont pas voulu du Championnat d’Europe!…’, France Football, 8 March 1955.

  42. 42.

    ‘4e Assemblée générale de l’UEFA à Stockholm. 10. Règlement du tournoi international juniors’. UEFAA, RM00005987 (congress, 1958–extraordinary congress, 1959).

  43. 43.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 10 March 1960. UEFAA, RM00000750 (executive committee, 10 March and 8 July 1960).

  44. 44.

    Report of the agenda of the executive committee meeting, 17–18 September 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1955–1957).

  45. 45.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 1 March 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  46. 46.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA congress, 2 March 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  47. 47.

    Freely translated from the French. Letter from H. Polat to R.W. Seeldrayers, 14 September 1955. FIFAA, correspondence with Turkey (1932–1970).

  48. 48.

    Minutes of the FIFA emergency committee, 9 May 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1951–1957).

  49. 49.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 6–7 May 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  50. 50.

    Report of the agenda of the executive committee meeting, 17–18 September 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1955–1957).

  51. 51.

    Israel was officially recognised by FIFA and the IOC in the early 1950s (Alperovich 2012).

  52. 52.

    On this matter, see the 2013 special issue of the journal Monde(s), ‘Inventions des continents’, edited by Isabelle Surun and Hughes Tertrais. For a more general overview, see Grataloup (2009).

  53. 53.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 14 August 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  54. 54.

    Report of the agenda of the executive committee meeting, 17–18 September 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1955–1957).

  55. 55.

    Letter from K. Gassmann to H. Delaunay, 19 March 1954. FIFAA, correspondence with France (1937–1954).

  56. 56.

    Minutes of the FIFA executive committee, 17 September 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1955–1957).

  57. 57.

    Letter from K. Gassmann to H. Polat, 20 September 1955. FIFAA, correspondence with Turkey (1932–1970). A similar letter dating from the same period can be found in the correspondence with the Israeli FA.

  58. 58.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 18 March 1956, n.d. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  59. 59.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA congress, 8 June 1956. UEFAA, RM00005984 (UEFA congress, 1954–1994).

  60. 60.

    Minutes of the FIFA executive committee, 8–9 February 1962. FIFAA, executive committee (1962).

  61. 61.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 10 March 1960. UEFAA, RM00000750 (executive committee, 10 March and 8 July 1960).

  62. 62.

    To which must be added Cyprus, which was in a similar position to Turkey. The Cypriot FA was eventually admitted to UEFA in 1962. Israël was finally accepted as UEFA member in 1991.

  63. 63.

    Freely translated from the French. ‘Union des associations européenne de football. Projet de statuts’, 18 February 1955. FIFAA, correspondence with UEFA (1955–1958).

  64. 64.

    ‘La Coupe d’Europe intervilles de jeu à sept verra le jour ce soir’, L’Équipe, 19 October 1956. On the development of basketball in Europe, see Archambault et al. (2015).

  65. 65.

    Cologne and Vienna cancelled their participation. Similarly, contrary to the organisers’ initial wishes, some established clubs—such as FC Barcelona and Lausanne-sport—took part in the tournament.

  66. 66.

    According to UEFA, average attendance at the matches was 20,000. UEFA secretary general’s report (1954–1955). UEFAA, RM00000917 (secretary général report, 1954–1985).

  67. 67.

    ‘Non, Wolverhampton n’est pas encore le “champion du monde des club”!’ L’Équipe, 15 December 1954.

  68. 68.

    Anderlecht (Belgium), Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia), Chelsea (England), FC Copenhagen (Denmark), Djugaarden (Sweden), Rot Weiss Essen (Germany), Servette Genève (Switzerland), Holland Sport (Netherlands), Sporting Lisbon (Portugal), Real Madrid (Spain), AC Milan (Italy), Stade de Reims (France), Saarbrücken (Saarland), Rapid Vienna (Austria) and Voros Lobogos (Hungary).

  69. 69.

    ‘Projet d’une Coupe d’Europe proposé par le journal L’Équipe et d’autres journaux européens’. FIFAA, correspondance with UEFA (1955–1958).

  70. 70.

    Freely translated from the French. Letter from H. Delaunay to R.W. Seeldrayers, 28 April. FFAA, folder: Euro 60.

  71. 71.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 6–7 May 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  72. 72.

    Minutes of the FIFA emergency committee, 9[8] May 1955. FIFAA, emergency committee (1951–1957).

  73. 73.

    Minutes of the FIFA executive committee, 17 September 1955. FIFAA, executive committee (1955–1957).

  74. 74.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 17 July 1955. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  75. 75.

    Regulations of the ECCC [season 1956–1957], art. 16. UEFAA, RM0005986 (founding congress, 1954. I–III ordinary congress, 1955–1957).

  76. 76.

    UEFA secretary general’s report 1954–1955. UEFAA, RM00000917 (secretary general report, 1954–1985).

  77. 77.

    ‘Bojkov s’arrache les cheveux et pleure: Sofia ne jouera pas les demi-finales!’ France Football, 26 February 1957.

  78. 78.

    ‘La balle au bond. Pas sympathique’, France Football, 5 July 1960.

  79. 79.

    The tournament was relaunched in 1955 but remained a secondary tournament, played in the summer, until it was abolished in the early 1990s.

  80. 80.

    Numerous examples of this can be found in La Semaine Sportive between the 1950s and the 1970s.

  81. 81.

    ‘Voros Lobogos jouera à Grenoble le 19 décembre à Nice, le 22’, L’Équipe, 14 December 1955.

  82. 82.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 18 March 1956, UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959). National cups are knock-out tournaments played in parallel with a country’s championship and include both elite and amateur clubs. This type of competition did not exist in every European country at this time.

  83. 83.

    Freely translated from the French. ‘À Lisbonne, UEFA et FIFA prêtes à siéger’, L’Équipe, 8 June 1956.

  84. 84.

    ‘La Coupe d’Europe intervilles de jeu à sept verra le jour ce soir’, L’Équipe, 19 October 1956.

  85. 85.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 7–8 November 1957. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  86. 86.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA congress, 2–3 June 1958. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  87. 87.

    Freely translated from the French. Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 28 October 1958. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  88. 88.

    For example, a meeting was held in Bologna in February 1956.

  89. 89.

    Minutes of the UEFA congress, 8 June 1956. UEFAA, RM00005984 (UEFA congress, 1954–1994).

  90. 90.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 8 June 1958. UEFAA, RM00005974 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  91. 91.

    As happened inside the European Documentation and Information Centre (Grossmann 2012). For the Soviet regime, see Rey (2005).

  92. 92.

    ‘Lisbonne, confluent du football européen et mondial’, L’Équipe, 9–10 June 1956.

  93. 93.

    In March 1955, he had already highlighted the lack of development in European football (compared with South America): ‘Pauvre vieille Europe, comme tu retardes!’, ‘Ils n’ont pas voulu du Championnat d’Europe!…’, France Football, 8 March 1955.

  94. 94.

    Freely translated from the French. ‘L’Allemagne contre l’Europe’, L’Équipe, 3 March 1957.

  95. 95.

    Freely translated from the French. Letter from P. Delaunay to UEFA’s member associations, 25 April 1957. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  96. 96.

    Minutes of the UEFA executive committee, 26–27 June 1957. UEFAA, RM00000749 (executive committee, 1954–1959).

  97. 97.

    A document containing all the speeches is conserved in UEFA’s archives. ‘Projet de création d’une Coupe d’Europe des Nations (présenté par MM. Augustin Pujol et Pierre Delaunay)’. UEFAA, RM00005986 (founding congress, 1954–ordinary congress, 1955–1957).

  98. 98.

    Minutes of the UEFA congress, 28–29 June 1957. UEFAA, RM00005984 (congress, 1954–1994).

  99. 99.

    This was the case for the French team, which could not count on its best players (notably Raymond Kopa, who was injured and had to leave the tournament). ‘France football répond aux questions que vous vous posez à propos de la Coupe d’Europe des nations’, France Football, 5 July 1960.

  100. 100.

    The rather low attendance may have also been partly due to the match being broadcast live on television and the bad weather. The Parc des Princes could hold up to 45,000 spectators. ‘La Coupe d’Europe sous tous ses aspects’, France Football, 12 July 1960.

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    Philippe Vonnard

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Vonnard, P. (2020). Energising European Football. In: Creating a United Europe of Football . Football Research in an Enlarged Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42343-8_5

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